In a captivating episode of the “All Facts No Brakes” podcast, MMA icon Royce Gracie sat down with host Keyshawn Johnson to shed light on a long-rumored matchup between himself and the legendary boxer Mike Tyson.
Gracie, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern mixed martial arts, revealed that the UFC had indeed extended an invitation to Tyson to compete in the promotion. To the surprise of many, the former heavyweight champion had accepted the challenge, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash between two of combat sports’ most dominant figures.
“We actually invite Mike Tyson to fight,” Gracie explained. “He accepted to fight in the UFC, but then everybody around him said, ‘Don’t do it. He can, you would have ruin box you other the time.'”
While the bout never came to fruition, Gracie and Johnson delved into the intriguing details of how such a matchup would have unfolded. Gracie, known for his expertise in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, acknowledged that Tyson’s formidable punching power would have posed a significant challenge.
“He wouldn’t have stood a chance,” Gracie said. “I mean, he’s a tough guy, he’s a fighter, but once I take him down, it’s over. There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to get in the ring and do it.”
The conversation took an unexpected turn when Gracie revealed that the two combat sports legends had even explored a simulated version of the fight, which reportedly ended in a TKO victory for the MMA pioneer.
“We found like a game simulation of you guys fighting,” Johnson said. “You actually won the fight in a TKO.”
Gracie, ever the humble warrior, expressed his skepticism about the simulation’s accuracy, noting that a submission victory would have been a more likely outcome.
“I don’t think I a TKO Tyson there’s no way, unless you just hit him the right way,” Gracie said. “I would have be a submission with him, not a TKO.”
Fans of both Gracie and Tyson were left to ponder what could have been, as the two combat sports legends discussed the intricacies of a potential matchup that, had it come to fruition, would have undoubtedly captured the imagination of sports enthusiasts worldwide.
